LEARNING ABOUT TUBERCULOSIS THROUGH GAME-BASED LEARNING
On Saturday, September 5, 2026, and Monday, September 7, 2026, a training activity focusing on TB prevention was conducted using a game-based learning method. On the first day, participants received presentations from Ludenara and UNICEF about the background and concept of the activity.
The activity was held to increase teachers' and healthcare workers' awareness of tuberculosis (TB), particularly its symptoms, prevention, and treatment. Game-based learning was chosen to make the learning process more engaging and easier to understand. It also provided educators with an interactive method to introduce TB-related knowledge to students through collaboration and direct participation.
The main activity used a board game consisting of several components. The first component was character cards featuring eight different characters. Each character had information about TB prevention measures and symptoms. The second component was diagnosis cards containing different types of test results, including blood tests, sputum tests, X-rays, and Mantoux tests, with positive or negative results. The third component was treatment cards indicating either three or six months of treatment, depending on the character's case. Six months of treatment was assigned to characters diagnosed with TB, while three months was used for characters requiring TB Preventive Treatment (TPT). The game also included medicine coins and treatment status coins.
On Monday,
September 7, 2026, I brought five students to participate in the board game.
Since the game was designed as a collaborative activity rather than a
competition, the students worked together to reveal and manage each character's
case. Each student received five cards, while the remaining cards were placed
in the center.
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The students
took turns drawing and discarding cards with the goal of collecting four cards
featuring the same character. The four cards contained three different colors:
green represented TB prevention measures, red represented symptoms, and orange
represented medical history, habits, or contact with someone with TB. If all
four cards were green, the character was considered not to have TB. If red or
orange cards were present, the player could draw diagnosis cards based on the
number of those cards.
If the diagnosis indicated TB, the character received six months of treatment. If the diagnosis was negative, the character received three months of TPT. Players then collected the appropriate medicine coins and treatment status coins. Cards belonging to other players that matched the character under treatment were turned into Treatment Supporter (PMO) cards to remind players about medication. The game continued until all characters' cases had been revealed and their treatment periods had been completed, ensuring that no medication was missed.
If the diagnosis indicated TB, the character received six months of treatment. If the diagnosis was negative, the character received three months of TPT. Players then collected the appropriate medicine coins and treatment status coins. Cards belonging to other players that matched the character under treatment were turned into Treatment Supporter (PMO) cards to remind players about medication. The game continued until all characters' cases had been revealed and their treatment periods had been completed, ensuring that no medication was missed.
After the
game, the students and teacher facilitator conducted a reflection session. The
students shared that the game was enjoyable and helped them better understand
TB symptoms, prevention, and treatment. They were also excited to play the game
again and explore ways to modify it. Overall, the activity demonstrated that
game-based learning can provide an engaging and collaborative way to increase
students' understanding of TB.
Author: Muthia Dina Chairunnisa, S.Pd.
